From the New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
“Touching and powerful...Reid masterfully grabs hold of the heartstrings and doesn't let go. A stunning first novel.” Publishers Weekly
"Have you ever heard of supernovas? They shine brighter than anything else in the sky and then fade out really quickly, a short burst of extraordinary energy. I like to think you and Ben were like that . . . in that short time, you had more passion than some people have in a lifetime."
Elsie Porter is an average twentysomething and yet what happens to her is anything but ordinary. On a rainy New Year's Day, she heads out to pick up a pizza for one. She isn't expecting to see anyone else in the shop, much less the adorable and charming Ben Ross. Their chemistry is instant and electric. Ben cannot even wait twenty-four hours before asking to see her again. Within weeks, the two are head over heels in love. By May, they've eloped.
Only nine days later, Ben is out riding his bike when he is hit by a truck and killed on impact. Elsie hears the sirens outside her apartment, but by the time she gets downstairs, he has already been whisked off to the emergency room. At the hospital, she must face Susan, the mother-in-law she has never met-and who doesn't even know Elsie exists.
Interweaving Elsie and Ben's charmed romance with Elsie and Susan's healing process, Forever, Interrupted will remind you that there's more than one way to find a happy ending.
Forever, Interrupted was the last TJR book I had to read (and I think I was partially procrastinating on reading it because of this). I had started it waaaay back in January of 2017 but put it down because it was too depressing of a read for my Hawaiian vacation, but in an effort to be more intentional in my reading in 2018, wanted to finally cross it off my TBR. I skimmed the first 100 pages or so that I vaguely remembered reading from last year, and settled into a story that carried equal parts grief and hope.
Now while I will admit that Forever, Interrupted is my least favorite TJR books to date (Maybe In Another Life and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo being my favorites), it chronicled the unique story of a widow grieving after only a week and a half of marriage well. The narrative is split in two parts- present day after Elsie's husband's death, and in the past chronicling their six month whirlwind courtship chronologically- and I actually found myself more invested in the present day narrative that focused on Elsie's journey to healing alongside her mother in law. It was raw and real and uncomfortable at times to watch their relationship (which didn't begin until AFTER the death of her husband) but it was also interesting to see how they kept Ben's memory alive in their interactions with eacho ther, as they each gleaned his presence through the other's mannerisms, memories, stories, etc. I'll admit I actually wasn't a fan of Ben and Elsie's courtship (it's not my favorite romance she's written) but the tragic circumstances in the aftermath of their marriage do make for a powerful story.
Overall: While not my favorite TJR novel, still another powerful and thoughtfully written book about marriage by TJR.This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages
Reading updates
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18 March, 2018:
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18 March, 2018:
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